SPOGS

The Shocked POststarburst Galaxy Survey searches for galaxies that are currently undergoing rapid transformations from blue cloud late-type spirals to red sequence early-type elliptical and lenticular galaxies. SPOGS is a new way to search for these transitioning galaxies, using spectra to pinpoint objects with shocks (via ionized gas line ratios) and young stars (via Balmer absorption). This search is able to identify galaxies in this metamorphosis, and our team is following up these objects to understand the many mechanisms that are responsible for galaxy transformation.